Canelo has built a reputation as the face of boxing, and, over 60 fights into his career, continues to carve out an impressive legacy, though it is not without controversy.
Canelo is now 62-2-2 and is set to make a bid for the two-time undisputed super-middleweight crown in his 67th fight this Saturday against the undefeated William Scull.
Canelo has lost just twice in his career – first to Floyd Mayweather, and second to Dmitry Bivol in 2022, but there is one man that many believe should have gotten the win against him years ago – a Kazakh fighter known as ‘Triple G’.
Canelo brutalized Rocky Fielding after controversial Gennady Golovkin victory
In 2017, one fight after Canelo beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he faced the feared knockout artist Gennady Golovkin for his middleweight world titles.
Golovkin had a 23-fight knockout streak broken in the fight before, when he won a unanimous decision against Daniel Jacobs.
Canelo’s first bid for Golovkin’s titles was unsuccessful, as the pair controversially fought to a draw in a fight many believed Golovkin won.
In the rematch, Canelo, who is facing William Scull next, picked up a majority decision victory, which was also controversial.
The Mexican followed these dramatic two fights, the toughest of his career to date aside from the Mayweather fight, with a softer touch in 2018, when he faced British challenger Rocky Fielding.
Fielding was 27-1 at the time, but was no match for Canelo, who dropped him in rounds one, two, and three, before closing the show with a sickening body shot later in the third round.
Canelo has faced eight Brits, only three made it to the end
Canelo has now faced eight Brits throughout his career, and the majority have not lasted long, including Fielding.
These are every British fighter Canelo faced, when he faced them, and how it went:
Matthew Hatton – 2011 – UD
Ryan Rhodes – 2011 – TKO12
Amir Khan – 2016 – KO6
Liam Smith – 2016 – KO9
Rocky Fielding – 2018 – TKO3
Callum Smith – 2020 – UD
Billy Joe Saunders – 2021 – RTD8
John Ryder – 2023 – UD